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Capita IT Services staff vote for strike action

Unite the union members working at Capita IT Services have voted overwhelming for both strike action over work being sent to India and a wider compulsory redundancy plan.

Unite is calling on Capita to withdraw its offshoring plans which will be detrimental to Capita clients including: Prudential Phoenix and Abbey Life. The union has challenged the company’s assertion that the transfer of work abroad will deliver the unsubstantiated cost savings and holds the view that vital skills and knowledge will be lost if the Capita plans are implemented.

The dispute is centered around four sites in Reading, Craigforth, Birmingham and Bournemouth where 220 staff are employed. The impacted sites serve Prudential Phoenix and Abbey Life customers.

David Fleming, Unite national officer, said: “Capita IT staff have voted for industrial action out of anger at Capita’s plans to send skilled work abroad. Once the skilled jobs are offshored from local communities they never return, which leaves a damaging impact on local economies.

“Unite members are determined to oppose the plan to send their jobs to India and cut other UK jobs and Unite is calling on Capita's clients to veto the plans.

”Unite is meeting Capita IT Services management today (14th August) and will be calling on Capita to withdraw their proposals if they want to avoid industrial action. In addition to the day of action - members also voted for action short of a strike. If the talks fail Unite will agree strike dates and action short of a strike on Thursday.

Unite members voted 4:1 for strike action and 9:1 for action short of strike on a 65 per cent turnout.